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Page 5
SUITE: What part of you shows through in your writing? What does your writing say about you? NANCY: I think my compassion for people shows in my writing. It helps with character development. When you are really interested in people, you learn so much about what makes them tick. This is really helpful to a writer. SUITE: Where do you get your character names? NANCY: Cally Jo McAllister in GRAVEN IMAGES came partly from a name I saw in our computer files when I worked at a bank. I wrote down “Cally Jo” because I liked it. McAllister came from the local phone book. Memrie Austin in SINNER’S SONG came from a volunteer I worked with at The Salvation Army. Her name was Memrie. I think Austin came from the name of a fireworks company! My new novel, MALEVOLENCE, features a character named Icy Curtis. I saw this name in the local paper and fell in love with it. Other names come from family member, friends, or my active imagination! SUITE: What about writing is important to you? NANCY: It is important to me to give someone who buys my book their money’s worth. To give them a story that will capture them – take them somewhere else for a while. I want it to be a place where they will be entertained – but safe. The most important thing in my life is the idea that the world should be better when I leave it than it was before I came. This applies to everything I do, including my writing. SUITE: Advice to an unpublished writer? NANCY: LEARN YOUR CRAFT!!! Don’t be afraid of criticism! Grow from it. Learn the mechanics of writing –learn to be your own editor. So many writers want to jump in the car and drive without lessons. This doesn’t make sense. Like Susan Vreeland says, keep painting until you have a masterpiece! And…DON’T GIVE UP! It’s scary to change your life – to commit large portions of your life to something that has no guarantees. You must make a decision – is this for you? If it is – then go for it. No turning back. Ever. SUITE: Anything that you would like to add?? NANCY: Writers are some of the best people I’ve ever met. If you want to be an author, join writers’ groups and forums. For the most part, I found incredible support and wonderful friends who have helped me so much from the writing community. Be supportive of them – and LEARN from them.
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